I have an oral presentation in just over 3 hours and am quite a bit nervous as it is the first presentation I do infront of a large room (200 or more people). Any presentation I have done up to now has been maximum 30-40 people.

This is airline related? Anyway: First, these people are your friends, they are really interested in what you have to say, otherwise, they wouldn't be there. Also, they don't have the info you have; if they had, again, they wouldn't be there... So go knock them dead.

I cannot understand how people can't enjoy speaking to a crowd. I love doing it. One of my little tid bits: While you are speaking, look around the room, and make direct eye contact with individuals in the audience. You don't have to hold it for long, just speak directly to multiple individuals. You will get results.

And when all else fails, an as needed prescription for propanolol (a blood pressure med) taken 1 hour before speaking usually works minor miracles.

Good luck.

"Trust, but verify!" An old Russian proverb, quoted often by a modern American hero

In all seriousness I think confidence, self believe and a good understanding in what you are presenting are the most important thing.

The quality of your presentation helps a lot. If its Powerpoint don't put too many words onto a slide. Try to make your slides bullet points. If you understand what your presenting you can expand on the bullet points during the presentation naturally and don't come across script reading.

Hard to offer the advice you need in an internet forum, but the key for me is to have fun with it. Some things to live by:

1.) The audience WANTS you to succeed in a presentation. Most will be pulling for you.
2.) YOU will be paying far more attention to the details and minor screw ups than they will. Most will never notice.
3.) Keep it lively and put good natured humor in when you can.
4.) It's ALL in the delivery. Think of how hysterical Bill Cosby's delivery can make an ordinary thing.
5.) Walk around a lot. Engage with people. Make lots of eye contact.
6.) Smile A LOT. Laugh and people will laugh with you.
7.) Talking to 200 or 5000 people is no different than talking to 30 or 40. We only think it is.

Anyway, I woudln't recommend beer. Struggling not to burp whan talking in public is torture and can backfire badly. A shot of vodka is much better. One, not two or more.

There really are no reliable methods to fight stage fright except this: be charming and funny. Get them to laugh once or twice and your stress will disappear in no time. Even the dullest subject can be presented in an entertaining way, and there is really no excuse for boring speeches. However, most people are mentally prepared for tedium, because that's what they usually get. Surprise them.

I'll admit I'm a bit of a stage whore, and I love having a crowd that enjoys my bullshit. My record audience was about 2500 people, but numbers are really, really meaningless. Be witty and they'll be eating from your hands. Believe me, getting a roar of laughter from an audience is the next best thing to sex.

DO some warmups prior to the event and watch the others who are speaking. Rehearse your presentation and start off lightly with some humor of some sort. Self-depracatory is fine.

Use notecards to help stay on track. When you lose your place refer back to the last card you turned over. Don't say UM or YOU KNOW at all....silence is better.

Look at the audience and establish eye contact with several people and remember that they're on your side. It makes it easier to focus partially on a few people while not ignoring the rest of the crowd.

Have fun...make fun of yourself a little but not too much....and be enthusiastic. If you've chosen a topic to sell (presenting is selling) then you should like it and your enthusiasm will be catching.

It's different for everyone. I used to have a quick drink before I went up in front of people to present. And if you've presented in front of 40 or 50 it's no different than 200. Just go ahead and do it like you've done in the past.

I have done so many presentations throughout university that now I just stand up there and talk like there is no one even in the room. But the more you do it the easier it'll be. Good luck!

Quoting DL021 (Reply 8):Look at the audience and establish eye contact with several people and remember that they're on your side.

Nah, forget the eye contact. Focus on checking out the womens boobs. Depending on the type of presentation don't try and tell any jokes at the beginning. If they go flat, so will you. Just talk to them and everything will be alright.

The biggest I have done was in front of about 100 members of the Royal Society of Chemistry Conference back in 2001ish when reporting on my PhD progress.

All I can say is practice beforehand, and look towards the back of the room. You'll probably have several bright lights on your face and you won't be able to see anyone anyway. Keep to time (there's nowt worse than being cut off if you overrun. . Act confident and lighthearted, and GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the one thing I do not do. I have been to a few presentations (in particular back at college) where someone was obviously putting on a well rehearsed show. Those shows are just less appealing to watch at then something that is "improvised" at the spot. A large risk is that something may interupt the show (a question, technical problems with the projector) and the presenter looses the grip and it goes down from there. Instead remember the subjects you want to talk about.

Of course feel free to practise the prononciation of techincal terms and the names (if known) of some of the key people in your audience. It is embarrasing if you want to involve your customer, and then mispronouncehis name. Before you ask, that has not happened to me yet.

Use the little cards mentioned earlier. If you know the subject, and you do otherwise you would not give the presentation, then those little cards should be well enough.

Remember to speak in the microphone. I made that mistake at my first large presentation. Fortunately the acoustics where great and I was very confident so I spoke somewhat loud so everyone could follow it.

Quoting D950 (Reply 3): imagine a room full of friends and family, get some Chivas, (or Columbian

you know you always hear about eye contact, what you should do is just look at their top of their heads, that way you wont be shocked to actually have eye contact and you will still look like your looking at your audience like a true orator.

Well, for next time, here's my trick which works for me everytime (max 40 people though):

lock yourself up and stand and present it alone, loud (not silently), exactly three times.

It's amazing how many loopholes, gaps and irregularities or shortcuts your brain tends to jump to (erroneously) the first few times (and when under stress) and this will iron everything out, you'll look as smooth and relaxed as can be during the presentation because it is taking no effort at all.

Some of the best advice I ever got was from Professor Keith Miller who said "When giving a presentation, get up, make three good points and sit down." It's served me well, because as the Bard said, brevity is the soul of wit.

Another good bit of advice from David O'Connor, a Cook County prosecutor, when talking about giving effective opening and closing statements: "You should be able to summarize the most complex case in twelve minutes or less, because that's the attention span of the average juror."